Larger size or heavy systems that have one or more calibrated components for performing desired functions are typically installed and calibrated in one building and not moved. Such systems commonly remain at one location and are maintained on a regular basis to make sure that they operate properly. Typically, there is no beneficial reason to move such systems on a frequent basis.
A heavy and voluminous system including laser equipment is used in eye surgery to correct for nearsightedness and astigmatism. Briefly, the applied laser energy corrects the refraction of the eye by essentially flattening the cornea. Such equipment and components are expensive, in the range of several hundreds of thousands of dollars. In many cases, this eye surgical procedure is not yet performed a sufficient number of times at any one location or facility to be cost effective. That is, because of the equipment cost, it is not financially feasible for one facility to have its own full-time laser system for performing the surgical procedures on the eye(s). A sharing of a single system by a number of facilities has proven to be cost effective. This requires transport of the laser equipment from one facility to another, namely between buildings and typically from one city to another or from one part of the city to another location in the same city. The laser equipment has sensitive components that need to be accurately aligned and calibrated. When the equipment is moved, the components thereof are subject to shocks and vibrations that could detrimentally affect such alignment and calibration. When such effects occur, damage to the equipment can result, or such components can become misaligned or out-of-calibration. Consequently, after transport of the equipment has been completed, it is then necessary to make sure that the equipment is working properly including taking care of any misalignment and out-of-calibration. This can be time consuming and expensive and can be even more costly if the equipment or components are damaged to the extent that the necessary alignment and calibration can no longer be properly achieved.
Because of the cost of the laser system, coupled with the current market demand for the corrective eye procedure, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus that is able to suitably protect the laser equipment during its transport from one location to another. one known apparatus includes a support platform with pneumatic wheels that are apparently intended to provide a cushioning effect to the laser equipment as it is moved. The present invention is directed to providing enhanced features that protect the laser equipment from shocks and vibrations during the time that the laser equipment is being moved.